


Friendly Concern

by FrozenMemories



Category: Star Trek: Discovery
Genre: Episode: s02e13-14 Such Sweet Sorrow Parts 1-2, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-23
Updated: 2020-09-23
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:00:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,030
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26604103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrozenMemories/pseuds/FrozenMemories
Summary: Tumblr prompt: one of them getting hurt and the other unable to hide her worry
Relationships: Keyla Detmer/Joann Owosekun
Comments: 2
Kudos: 43





	Friendly Concern

**Author's Note:**

> So I think I remember it was in Such Sweet Sorrow that Joann clutched her arm when shot. Probably a phaser burn but I made it bleed.

"We did it," Keyla gasped, still high on the rush of traveling through the singularity into an undetermined future.

"We did it," Joann echoed from a few feet away.

As certitude and relief began washing over everybody on the bridge, exhales and exclamations of victory could be heard.

Unable to remain seated Keyla rose to her feet and went over to Joann's side of the console, clasping her hand down on her friend's shoulder and raising the other for a high five.

A barely contained wince made her stop in her tracks and check Joann over instinctively. She spotted the dark stain on her uniform blue at once.

"You're bleeding," she stated, concerned.

Joann shrugged her off.

"Minor scratch, it already stopped."

"Get it checked out anyway," Saru's voice came from behind them.

Joann groaned almost inaudibly, not keen on leaving the bridge when they were still in the process of finding out where - or when - they had ended up. Although initial sensor readings had shown no sign of hostile activity they had no way of knowing they were truly safe. They also had no trace of Michael yet.

"That's an order, Owo," Saru added in his typical equivocal cadence.

Keyla bit down on a smirk as Joann rolled her eyes and got up only to falter the moment she stood. Quick reflexes made her reach out to Joann as she swayed on her feet.

"Just a scratch, huh?" She asked with her eyebrow raised sternly. When she pulled her hand away from Joann's arm it felt damp and sure enough it was covered in blood - definitely not dried yet.

She heard Joann wince ever so quietly.

"Lt. Detmer, switch to auto pilot and escort Lt. Owosekun to medbay," Saru ordered. The fact that Joann didn't argue the need to be accompanied was reason enough for Kelya to believe she was in serious distress.

"C'mon," she beckoned as she steadied Joann and walked her to the hallway.

"The turbolift system is down, looks like we have to walk," she muttered after a quick check of the lift panel. Joann merely nodded.

"Will you be okay?"

Maybe it was the abating of adrenaline that brought her pain receptors back online. Joann gave another groan and clutched at the wound on her arm, her steps staggering slightly.

Keyla was quick to slip an arm around her to keep her steady.

"Are you hurt anywhere else?" She asked, unable to hide her concern.

Joann shook her head, mumbling, "I'm fine."

Twenty meters down the gangway she sagged against Keyla and almost dragged them both to the ground.

"Dammit, Jo!" Keyla carefully lowered Joann's limp body to the floor and gently slapped her cheek.

"Hey, stay with me!" She pleaded.

It didn't take long for Joann to open her eyes again, her gaze slightly unfocused but alert.

"Keyla?" Her voice sounded weak.

"Yeah, you just blacked out. Are you okay?"

Her heartrate accelerated as she waited for a reply.

"Hurts," Joann mumbled weakly.

"We gotta get you to medbay but the lifts are offline. I need you to get up, okay?"

Joann leaned heavily on her shoulder as they resumed walking at a slow pace but at least they made progress.

When they finally arrived at medbay they were greeted by bustling chaos.

"What have we got here?" Dr. Pollard asked after her current patient seemed stabilized. Just as she was about to explain it was merely a minor scratch Keyla interrupted Joann, reporting to Dr. Pollard how the lieutenant had fainted on her in the hallway.

"You're being dramatic," Joann accused her with a weak halfsmile that Keyla mirrored with more conviction.

"Let the doc be the judge of that, alright?"

A quick examination revealed the wound to be quite deep, though while painful it wasn't too severe. Nothing the regenerator couldn't fix in a couple of minutes.

Joann grit her teeth against the unpleasant sting of the device and without thinking Keyla reached a hand out to wrap around Joann's.

As the worry faded another feeling took residence in her, one that was rooted in the warm tingle she felt emerging from their joined hands.

"All set," Dr. Pollard proclaimed when the wound was fully closed and she administered a glucose hypospray. "Stay on light duty for the rest of your shift, or better yet have a proper meal and get some rest," she instructed with a knowing smile.

"Thank you, Doctor," Joann offered and it was only when she swung her legs off the biobed that Keyla realized their hands were still entangled without obvious reason. And Joann kept holding on.

Their eyes met, making her heart leap inside her chest. 

"You can let go now, I'm fine." Joann cleared her throat and Keyla opened her fingers to set her free.

"Sorry," she muttered, even though she felt more reluctant for the loss of contact than apologetic for having initiated it in the first place.

"I'll let the bridge know you're supposed to rest."

Joann's protest was fierce, "I'm fine."

"You passed out! You haven't eaten or slept in who knows how long."

There was no sense in arguing with a dutiful Starfleet Officer, Keyla was well aware. But she had to try at least. 

"And who has?" Joann countered, making a valid point. 

They returned side by side, shoulders casually brushing. The back of Joann's hand bumping into Keyla's every now and then. Keyla tried hard to ignore the pickling rush the occasional contact sent through her, while wrecking her brain for something to say. But then it was Joann who took the initiative - and Keyla's hand - to speak up.

"It's sweet that you're so concerned," she said, voice soft and fingers gently squeezing. 

The hammering in her chest was so intense she thought Joann must've surely heard it. 

"I just. I can't imagine a future without you."

She had no idea what possessed her to utter the words but Joann's brilliant smile made her forget to question them.

"You won't have to," she replied, squeezing Keyla's hand again.

It was in that moment Keyla knew, whatever the future held for them, their present had just shifted profoundly. 

She smiled.


End file.
